Page 57 of How to Seduce a Duke this Autumn
“Not better.”
She glared at her friend. “You are not helping, you know.”
Maddie chuckled. “I didn’t mean to help; I meant to point out. You have to appear where you might if he’s not calling on you. You read it in the handbook, didn’t you?”
Yes. Charlene exhaled and slumped her shoulders. “Well, this is all because of Rotheworth, isn’t it?” Maddie stretched her spine to remind Charlene to mind her posture.
“You’ve set your cap on him. So the next step is to rein him in.”
Charlene sighed. “I don’t know how to face him, honestly.”
“Then don’t. Dance, drink punch, and pretend you don’t see him and feel him approaching you.”
Charlene suppressed the urge to put her hand on her forehead in despair, but the sentiment was no less heartfelt. “Does the handbook teach you everything in life?”
“Much of it, not everything. I have a few other books on alchemy, botany—”
Charlene groaned and stopped listening.
“Patience, however, is not something I can administer, dear. You’ve got to practice the skill yourself.” Maddie nodded in the direction of some other guests she seemed to know. “You have no other choice as a lady.”
Patience. A good suggestion, but a futile one. She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to help herself, just as he couldn’t seem to help himself. Was it all hopeless? She followed the movement of the dancers with her eyes, recalling their first dance all those weeks ago.
How had they looked to the people watching them dance? The society papers had certainly noticed. Probably like the most awkward pair. Certainly not all smiles with the orchestra playing the kind of song that made one believe in second chances. But everything had started with that dance.
Would everything end with dance, too?
Maddie sighed dramatically. “You are making this far more complicated than it needs to be.”
Charlene arched her brow. “Am I?” She didn’t think so. It was all rather complicated from the start, wasn’t it? With that man being his brother. It was a memory she had buried deep, and so far, with Adam returning, the memory had still remained neatly tucked away. But for how long?
“Yes. He is a man, not a mythological hero.”
Charlene scoffed. “You say that, but you have never tried to have a sensible conversation with him.”
Maddie tapped her chin. “That is true. I imagine it must be terribly difficult when one is too busy gazing longingly at him instead.”
“I do not gaze longingly at him.”
Maddie shot her a look.
Charlene crossed her arms. “Fine. Perhaps I have gazed. Once or twice. By accident.” Liar, liar.
Maddie grinned. “Of course. Just as I once ate an entire plate of biscuits by accident. Those things do happen.”
Charlene gave her a flat look. “Yes, they do happen.”
“I am sure.” Maddie twirled her fan idly. “So what exactly is your plan? Lurk in the corner all night, hoping he does not see you? Hoping he does?”
“The former is an excellent plan.” Honestly, Charlene didn’t know what to do. She didn’t know how to act. But most vexingly, she didn’t know what she wanted. You do, a little voice whispered.
You want him in all those ways the handbook forbids.
Did she?
Perhaps.
Maybe.
